Campus Recreation Centers Research Articles

Descriptive Epidemiology of Campus Recreation Injuries

Campus recreation is an underserved population lacking specific medical standards, access to on-site medical personnel, and a universal injury surveillance system. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively examine injury epidemiology within a campus recreation center across 4 years. A total of 1,680 injuries were analyzed from one U.S. university with the greatest number of injuries occurring in intramural sports, informal recreation, and club sports, respectively. Of all injuries reported, 73% were musculoskeletal in nature and 9% were from concussions. As most injuries fall outside the scope of basic first aid, on-site medical services should be considered for all campus recreation settings.

Student Recreation Center

This article explores the potential impact of campus recreation centers on student retention and suggests strategies for leveraging that impact to improve the retention rate of first-time full-time students.

The Relationship Between College Students’ Perceptions of Their Campus Recreation Center Climate to Their Thriving in Physical Activity

The college years are a critical period for students to adopt and strengthen health behaviors, such as physical activity (PA), that support their physical and mental health. This exploratory study examines the relationship between students' perceptions of a caring and task-involving climate (CTIC) at their campus recreation center (CRC) to their feelings of thriving, effort, and enjoyment. Students ( N = 161) at a large Midwestern university volunteered to complete a brief survey. A canonical correlation analysis indicated students' perceptions of a CTIC were significantly and positively related to thriving (vitality and learning), effort, and enjoyment. Although future research is needed to further examine thriving in PA settings, the construct may be key in understanding college students' experiences at CRCs and the benefits that may result from experiencing a supportive environment, allowing individuals to focus on their personal effort and improvement as measures of success.

The Relationship Between Sense of Community and Job Satisfaction Among Campus Recreation Center Employees

Research on the experience of campus recreation participants has been studied extensively. However, scholars have paid relatively little attention to employees of campus recreation. This study examined the relationship between Sense of Community (SOC) and job satisfaction of employees in Campus Recreation Center (CRC), and the impact of demographic information, including job classification and tenure, on the levels of their SOC and job satisfaction. Survey data were collected from CRC employees, including student employees, graduate assistants, part-time and full-time employees. Results indicated a positive relationship between SOC and job satisfaction that employees experienced. Even though results did not suggest the influence of employee's job classification and tenure on the levels of SOC and job satisfaction, it was found that job classification influenced three of nine factors of job satisfaction (e.g., fringe benefits, operating conditions, and coworker).

An Application of Social Marketing Theory to develop a social marketing campaign to address mental health literacy and help-seeking behavior among male college students

Male college students have been observed to have low mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviors. The purpose of this study was to apply social marketing theory to address mental health literacy among male undergraduate students in order to improve both mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviors. The current study employed qualitative methods involving key informant interviews among male undergraduate university students (n = 26). Participants were provided three vignettes representing a male college student presenting with anxiety, depression, or stress during the key informant interviews. The concepts from the key informant interviews were mapped onto the social marketing theory marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion). The social marketing mix identified methods to improve professional help-seeking behaviors (product) among male undergraduate students by reducing stigma, both perceived social stigma and self-stigma, as well as addressing masculine norms (price) in locations where students are comfortable, such as the university health center or the Internet (place), by connecting the physical signs and symptoms (promotion) to mental health concerns. Findings were translated into a targeted and tailored social marketing campaign implemented in male restrooms in the campus recreation center. Social marketing theory is a valuable tool for developing targeted and tailored social marketing programs for mental well-being among college students.

Campus Recreation and Fitness Center Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has far reaching effects for college students' health and physical activity behaviors. This analysis focuses on university student fitness center usage pre and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers hypothesized a reduction in fitness center utilization when comparing Fall 2019 to Fall 2020 utilization rates.

What Barriers Keep College-Aged Females from Using the Campus Recreation Center?

Attending college offers many opportunities for students to be involved in many different activities. One activity that may be neglected is physical activity. This applies to all groups of students, in particular College-Aged Females (CAF). The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that affect CAF students from using a college exercise and wellness facility. A sample of 269 CAF (243=Caucasian & 24 African American Female) students (AAF) were surveyed and then interviewed as a group to better learn what barriers may be keeping them from using the campus exercise and wellness facility. Generally, it was found the CAF did not use the college and wellness facility for cultural, educational and personal reasons. The results from this study can be used to better encourage and market strategies to the CAF population on college campuses.

Recreate and Retain: How Entrance Into a Campus Recreation Facility Impacts Retention

This study explored the rates of retention among students who entered a campus recreation facility. The purpose of the study was to determine the statistical significance of the rates of retention within several commonly studied demographic categories. Recent research in the field reported that student participation in campus recreation programs contributes to student retention. The researchers in this study also sought to determine whether there was a significant impact on campus recreation participants to return not only to the campus recreation center but to the university during the following fall term. Data were collected during a specific spring and subsequent fall semester to determine whether those who entered the recreation center during the spring enrolled in the fall term. Student entries were initially categorized by the number of visits 1–30, 31–60, 61–90, and 91–120 and were compared to students who did not enter. A χ2 analysis was conducted to compare the data collected from spring to fall terms and the results were separated by gender and overall participation. This suggests a positive relationship between entry into the recreation center and student retention from the spring to fall terms.

An Exploratory Study of the Interaction Effects of Student Service Employees' Job Resourcefulness and Organizational Support in a Campus Setting

This paper investigates the interactive effects of student service employees’ job resourcefulness and organizational resource support on employees’ commitment and ability to provide high quality customer service, which in turn results in higher job satisfaction and performance outcomes. This exploratory study’s goal was to help campus managers improve service employee development practices. This study involved a survey sample of 98 student employees working in customer service roles at a mid-sized university campus recreation center. The study finds that job resourcefulness is the most important factor that positively determines student employees’ commitment to service quality and skill proficiency, along with job performance and satisfaction. While formal training benefits all employees, supervisor coaching seems to benefit student employees with low levels of job resourcefulness while displaying some negative effects for high job resourcefulness employees. Both commitment to service quality and service skill proficiency determine employees’ job-outcomes.

“It’s just something engrained in them”: examining organizational citizenship behaviors within part-time campus recreation center employees

ABSTRACTSport scholars have sparsely examined the contributions of part-time employees in the workforce. This study contributes to the gap in the literature by exploring a recreation center’s part-time student staff participation in organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). These behaviors can simply be described as “going above and beyond job requirements” and have been suggested to increase organizational effectiveness [Podsakoff, P. M., & MacKenzie, S. B. (1997). Impact of organizational citizenship behavior on organizational performance: A review and suggestion for future research. Human Performance, 10(2), 133–151]. Furthermore, the authors sought to understand how these OCBs contributed to organizational effectiveness. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of student employees. The findings from this study showed that multiple OCBs were apparent at this recreation center, and the students felt that these behaviors positively impacted the organization’s effectiveness. This case study extends the lines of research on part-time employees and OCBs in sport.

Cost and culture: Factors influencing worksite physical activity across three universities.

Physical inactivity is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Worksites provide an ideal environment for physical activity (PA) interventions. Colleges and universities are a unique work venue, with institutions of higher education of varying scope within every state of the United States and worldwide. To explore the institutional influences on worksite PA across multiple universities. Employees from two large, universities (Midwestern and Southern) and a mid-size, university (Midwestern) participated in exploratory research in March/April 2010 and 2013. The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) methodology and the Health Belief Model (HBM) were used to assess perceived influences on employees' engagement in worksite PA. The findings demonstrate that university employees experienced similar factors that influence PA as employees across the different institutions. Specifically, there was an interesting relationship between opportunities for PA and lack of a supportive work culture to promote it. Emphasis on immediate perceived threats to PA inactivity may improve the utility of the HBM for interventions within this context. Further, campus worksite interventions for employees should address barriers such as cost of campus recreation centers and administrative support for engaging in worksite PA as possible cues to action.

Self-Selected Intensity and Adherence in a Campus Recreation Center with Novice, Female Weight Lifters: A Preliminary Investigation

In response to reports of lower resistance exercise participation in college-aged women, the present, preliminary investigation sought to examine the popular recommendation that self-selected intensity can have a positive impact on resistance exercise adherence. Fifty-three novice female weight lifters were asked to complete three sessions per week for six weeks in a campus recreation center. Results support previous research that novice or untrained individuals do not appear to self-select an intensity that meets common resistance training guidelines for strength and/or hypertrophic gains, although only slightly missing this mark. No differences were found in self-selection between weight or instruction types. Unlike previous anecdotal suggestions, self-selected intensity was not related to adherence; the average attendance was approximately seven sessions. Attrition was linear, and by week six, 95% of all participants had dropped out. In conclusion, despite popular thought, the present results do not support the concept that allowing students to choose their own intensity, alone, will enhance adherence to resistance exercise. Collegiate recreational staff and administrators can use these findings for novel ideas and directed efforts to enhance resistance exercise efforts in women.

Developing Learning Outcomes for a Collaborative Event: Highlighting a Recreational Soccer Tournament Designed to Connect International and Domestic Students

The purpose of this study was to exhibit best practices in a collaborative program between a campus recreation department and center for global engagement while demonstrating appropriate learning outcomes. The learning domains that were assessed in this program were intrapersonal development, interpersonal competence, humanitarianism and civic engagement, and practical competence. The program reviewed was a philanthropic recreational soccer tournament designed to specifically offer international and domestic students an opportunity to play recreational sports together while providing learning opportunities for all participants. Participants placed a higher value on participating in a charitable event and participating for health and wellness over seeking involvement with different types of people. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS and mean scores and standard deviations were reported from the respondent data gathered.

Using Facebook and Twitter to Encourage Physical Activity: Are College Students Connecting with Campus Recreation on Social Media? A Pilot Study

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine students' use of the campus recreation center and their engagement with the center's social media accounts as a basis for future research. A survey was completed by 257 students in an undergraduate health course. The respondents were 38% female and 61% male, and 29% freshmen, 44% sophomores, 18% juniors, and 7% seniors. Results indicated that while the majority of students use Facebook and Twitter, most of them do not follow the center's accounts. However, students who participated in the least popular activities at the center were more likely to follow and interact with the center's social media. Potentially, students do not want to connect with the recreation center on social media and managers should shift resources to a different marketing strategy, or managers need to engage in a campaign to increase students' awareness of the center's accounts.

Planning for an Inclusive Campus Recreation Facility and Program

This best practice brief highlights the collaborative work among a disability resource professional, a university architect, campus recreation professionals, and students with disabilities to create a campus recreation center with universal design features and considerations for students with disabilities. This partnership served to illustrate that building to minimum compliance standards does not necessarily remove barriers to equitable participation for persons with disabilities. It became evident that valuing the disability experience led to high quality design and further programmatic and equipment considerations made to accommodate all. From this project, best practices in inclusive, usable, and equitable design and programmatic and equipment considerations for users with disabilities can be observed and applied to future projects.

A collaborative approach to college and university student health and wellness

AbstractCombining university health centers and campus recreation and wellness centers into one facility is a new trend in collaborative facility design.

Characteristics of Users and Nonusers of a Campus Recreation Center

College students' physical activity provides protection against weight gain and chronic disease. Convenient exercise facilities have been correlated with physical activity. This study examined use of a college recreational facility among a sample of undergraduates, personal and demographic factors related to facility use, and factors predictive of facility use. A sample of 1,700 undergraduates was randomly selected and mailed a survey about health behaviors and recreation-center use. Facility users were more likely to be freshman or sophomore unmarried men who live on campus. Users of the facility had a slightly lower average body mass index, yet were more likely to use alcohol. Significant predictors of facility use included sex, class standing, living situation, belonging to a fraternity or sorority, and the desire to change one's weight. This study contributes to the research on college students' physical activity in that it identifies those likely to use or not use the recreational facility.

The Benefits of a Weight Loss Contest in Overweight and Obese College Students

PURPOSE: Campus-based health promotion programs, including healthy eating and physical activity, may be important in developing long-term healthy habits during and after college, and may reduce the incidence of overweight and obesity in young adults. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a weight loss contest would be an effective way to promote beneficial changes in body composition in overweight and obese college students. METHODS: Students were invited to participate in a semester-long weight loss contest at the campus Recreation Center. Monthly "weigh-ins" included weight, percent fat, and circumference measurements. Participants were also offered a variety of short seminars focusing on nutrition and exercise, as well as individualized and group exercise instruction. Participants were awarded points for reductions in weight, percent fat, and circumference measurements and for attendance at seminars and exercise sessions. The individuals with the top three point totals at the end of the contest were given gift certificates. After the contest was completed, the authors received approval from the University IRB to analyze the data that was collected by Recreation Center staff. Data are presented as the means+SEM. RESULTS: Thirty-nine participants (26 women, 13 men, 19-35 yr) registered for the contest. Forty-one percent (12 women and four men, 22+1 yr) attended four (n=six) or five (n=10) weigh-ins, while the remaining participants (14 women and nine men, 21+1 yr) attended three (n=seven), two (n=five), or one weigh-in (n=11) between February and May. Those who attended four or five weigh-ins significantly reduced body weight, percent fat, and waist circumference over the semester-long contest, and attended more seminars and exercise sessions than those who attended less than four weigh-ins. Percent change in weight was significantly associated with seminar (r=-0.39) and exercise sessions attended (r=−0.41). CONCLUSION: Campus-based weight loss contests can be an effective way to promote weight loss in some individuals, although additional studies are needed to determine what factors increase adherence and whether such programs promote longterm changes in physical activity and diet.

Perceived Organizational Support and Employee Satisfaction and Retention

The ability of recreational sport departments to offer quality programming and services often depends on whether they are able to employ and retain quality student employees. These student employees are critical in the performance of tasks associated with the daily operations connected with recreation programs. This study examined the role of perceived organizational support (POS) on student employee attitudes. It is beneficial for university recreational sport departments, specifically directors, to be cognizant of the role POS can play in the work experience of student employees. The relationships between POS and commitment (affective, AC and normative, NC) and satisfaction were investigated for 152 student employees of a campus recreation center. No significant differences in students' perceptions of POS were found based on gender, tenure, or type of supervision (student staff member, professional staff member, or graduate administrative assistant). However, the regression equations with POS and AC, POS and NC, and POS and satisfaction were all significant, explaining 46.2%, 39%, and 53.3% of the variance, respectively. The results of this study of the relationship between POS and commitment mirror several others from the field of industrial and organizational psychology, and it can be demonstrated that student employees reciprocate favorable treatment when they trust that their department will reward them in return. Future studies should focus on some of the particular antecedents of POS (e.g., supervisory support, participation in decision making, organizational justice, trust, and careerist orientation), as well as other possible outcomes of POS, and might provide more depth in understanding exchange relationships for student employees of recreational sports departments.

The effects of an individualized exercise intervention on body composition in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment.

Changes in metabolism have been reported in the majority of patients undergoing cancer treatment, and these are usually characterized by progressive change in body composition. The effects of aerobic exercise programs to combat the cancer and cancer treatment-related side effects, which include the negative changes in body composition, have been extensively reported in the literature. However, few resistance exercise intervention studies have hypothesized that breast cancer patients might benefit from this type of exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine whether exercise protocols that emphasize resistance training would change body composition and strength in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment. Randomized controlled trial, at the Campus Recreation Center and Rocky Mountain Cancer Rehabilitation Institute of the University of Northern Colorado, and the North Colorado Medical Center. Twenty inactive breast cancer patients were randomly assigned to a 21-week exercise group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 10). The exercise group trained at low to moderate intensity for 60 minutes on two days/week. The primary outcome measurements included body composition (skinfold method) and muscle strength (one repetition maximum). Significant differences in lean body mass, body fat and strength (p = 0.004, p = 0.004, p = 0.025, respectively) were observed between the groups at the end of the study. The results suggest that exercise emphasizing resistance training promotes positive changes in body composition and strength in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment.